Knee problems while squatting

[Snuka]

I just added squats to my workouts and I really like them.

But, yesterday, when I was doing my heavy set, I began to feel some unusual pain in my left knee. It felt like something was going to tear or give-out in some way.

I could work through the pain, but I don't want an injury.
Any advice?

 

[Robboe]

It could be the natural beauty of the pain of squats, but it may be because your form is not perfect. If you've just started them i suggest you make sure your form is spot on.

 

[bignate73]

what is your feet position like?

toes out, straight?
how wide is your stance?are you tall? short?

more info on your form.

 

[al bundy]

I don't post on training much but I couldn't help this one. if you are new to the iron start taking supplements for joints. it takes a few weeks before you notice vast imp though but its worth it. also warm up on a bike for 10 min. then theres always wraps. proper squats consist of hips moving back before knees bend(stress preventing) . And not that you do this but it is worth saying, some people don't do warm up sets since all they can squat is 135 or so very bad cold joints are a big danger. hope this helps on the quest to a big squat.

 

[Warik]

Good advice from everyone else in this thread. Let me throw another important "check" in here.

Have someone watch your knees in comparison to your feet when you squat. Your knees should never go out past the tips of your feet.

My stance and form allow me to go ass to floor and back without my knees going too far forward, and the only stress I feel on my knees is the normal stress that is felt when one stands up with a few hundred pounds of iron on his traps.

-Warik

 

[bignate73]

good point warik.
i was gonna get to that after i found out that his feet were running parallel and pointing straight forward. the first no no. then im sure his knees were traveling past his toes. (just corrected my newbie room mate yesterday and hes rocking on squats now)

 

[Romeo78]

agree with bignate, you knees are probably going past your toes while squatting.

 

[he-man]

Ditto with the rest of the guys proper warm-up and wraps are very benificial. Watch your form and if it's bad pain(not muscle burn)then stop and talk to a doc - don't blow it off it could be serious.

 

[danielson]

sorry to tag a question on here, but i do feet parralel squats, i find it easier to do ass to floor and get better burn. is this bnad, or is it bad to let your knees move to far foward (which is easier to do if your feet are parallel)

sorry, just got confused by what bignate 73 was getting at

 

[bignate73]

here is what i was getting at.

stand comfortably, how you would normally stand in day to day life. notice how your feet probably dont point straight ahead? they probably point a bit out. notice if you bend your knees that if you were to draw a line through the middle of your shin and your thigh, those 2 would be in line.

now, turn your feet parallel. notice what it does to the line. your shin turns and thus breaks the "straight line". the point where the straight line breaks is your knee and that is where the stress will be.

i squatted for a long time with my feet parallel. i would feel stress in my hips, but not particularly my knees. i modified it recently to get my knee bending inline with my thigh and the stress is gone. i can still go ass to the floor if i want. i normally just go parallel or a bit below.

sorry if i was vague at first. i was just checking to see if he was unconciously putting his feet parallel. many people do but dont take into account how their bodies are built.

hope that clears things up.